Looking for a loan pony but what size?

Spyda

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I have two sons who would like to ride, one is almost 13 and can ride and the other is a small 8 year old who'd like to learn. The 12 year old weighs about 8 stone and is 5'0 tall ATM and I'm dithering about what size pony to look to take on, so both boys could ride him/her. I was considering a stocky 13.2 but then wondered if it might be too wide (potentially) for my 8 year old to learn to ride comfortably on. (My youngest is VERY small - picture 4 year old when you think of how tall he is.) So maybe a narrow 14.2, then? I don't want to start looking until I've decided what to look for... What size pony do your children of a similar age share?
 
I would just look and decide on something 13.2-14.2 purely on the basis of good manners, ability to be handled by a child, obedience and willingness. You need something safe enough for the smaller child, but willing so your old child doesn't get bored with a complete plod, but obedient as your younger son is not going to be very effective with leg aids for a while yet! My daughter is 11 and 5ft 4 and still doesn't look too tall on the slim 13.2 we have, but has plenty of room on the deep chested 14h we have, hides her long legs so well.

I'd look for an older type, outgrown PC schoolmaster, like hens teeth but worth their weight in gold.
 
I would just look and decide on something 13.2-14.2 purely on the basis of good manners, ability to be handled by a child, obedience and willingness. You need something safe enough for the smaller child, but willing so your old child doesn't get bored with a complete plod, but obedient as your younger son is not going to be very effective with leg aids for a while yet! My daughter is 11 and 5ft 4 and still doesn't look too tall on the slim 13.2 we have, but has plenty of room on the deep chested 14h we have, hides her long legs so well.

I'd look for an older type, outgrown PC schoolmaster, like hens teeth but worth their weight in gold.

Thanks Dubsie. Must admit, my pony at age 11 was a very narrow 13.1 welsh B pony and my second into my mid-teens a even narrower 14.1 Arab (was like riding a needle, my instructor used to say.) I was (am) petite at 5'1and never weighed more than 8.5 stone until I had children at 30 (:rolleyes:). My filly (planned "to make 15.2") has now grown to strapping 16.2 at rising 4
so is rather too big for me, let alone for my sons although it would be good to get them riding well enough to be able to take her on later when she's older and they're bigger and more confident!

I was particularly asking about size as nothing between 12.2 and 15.2 is being advertised for loan in our neck of the woods ATM. I've just put a wanted ad in freeads, adtrader, preloved, etc., but notice there are lots of 'Loan Wanted' ads already on there. Maybe an indication there's not many available around here. Perhaps I'll do up a paper ad as well, and drop some into the local feed/tack shops. I've not specified pony's height in my ads but have given my older son's height and weight.

Perhaps it'd just be easier to just look for a pony for my older son. I'd like company hacking out on the filly this summer and it may make finding a suitable pony easier. And adding that I'm looking for a pony suitable for a beginner might be a put off???
 
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